Injury Board -- The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health began hearing testimony on the Medical Device Safety Act of 2009, which proposes the Supreme Court decision in Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc be overturned. The Reigel ruling prevents patients that were injured by certain federally approved medical devices from seeking compensation via state product liability suits – in other words, federal law trumps (preempts) state law in these cases. The House bill has been a catalyst in the legal community. The American Tort Reform Association, for example, claims the bill would be an economic stimulus for personal injury attorneys. The American Association for Justice, on the other hand, says the bill would restore victims’ rights.
